Rising landmine blast toll in Afghanistan highlights long-term care needs of survivors

Latest data from UNMAS, the UN Mine Action Service, shows that 1,415 Afghan civilians were killed or injured by mines and so-called explosive remnants of war (ERW) in 2018. Children make up eight in 10 of ERW casualties, according to Read More …

There’s only one way to tackle Ukraine’s infestation of mines … slowly

“I am not afraid,” says 80 year-old Lidiya Korolyova as she walks across a snow-covered field to check on a suspicious object. It might be a landmine, lying in wait among the trees not far from her village of Ozerne Read More …

How is the reconstruction of Iraq going?

In July 2017, the last Islamic State fighters left in the city of Mosul attempted to flee by swimming across the mighty Tigris River that runs through Iraq’s second largest city. They had been defeated. As patriotic music blared out Read More …

UNMAS demolishes its one millionth explosive item in South Sudan – a 100kg bomb

A newly-cleared mine field was turned into an arena for a big bang today, as the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) demolished a 100kg air-dropped bomb in South Sudan, marking its one millionth destruction of explosive items in the Read More …

Lebanon’s BRIC applies tech solutions to clearing landmines

The Israeli No 4 landmine has a peculiar design – approach it the right way, and it can be easily neutralized and destroyed. Approach it the wrong way, and things could go terribly wrong, very quickly. A de-miner is on Read More …

Sri Lanka: Rs. 100 m from Japan to support humanitarian demining in Northern Province

The Government of Japan has extended a total sum of $ 624,382 (approximately Rs. 100 million) for humanitarian demining in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. The grant contract was signed on 24 January at the Ambassador’s Residence in Colombo, Read More …

Britain grants funding for UXO clearance in Laos

Mines Advisory Group (MAG) Laos has been granted more than 38 billion kip (4.5 million U.S. dollars) in funding from the British government for its unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance operations in Laos. With the grant, MAG will conduct UXO clearance Read More …

Mali: ‘Dire’ humanitarian situation, ‘grave’ security concerns challenge fragile peace

Bintou Keita, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations in Africa, also apprised the Council of the alarming security situation in the central and northern areas of the African State, saying it was “of grave concern,” and provided “a major challenge” to Read More …

Yemen: Land mines take heavy toll on civilians

Thousands of land mines and improvised explosive devices are killing and maiming civilians in southwestern Yemen, the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said today, calling on the Yemeni authorities and specialized demining organizations to clear Read More …

North Korean delegation in Cambodia to learn about demining, bomb clearance

A group of North Koreans from various organizations traveled to Cambodia recently to exchange information and learn from that country’s experience clearing mines, bombs, and other remnants of war, according to a local government official who led the meetings. “The Read More …

UK aid removing Daesh explosives and helping Iraqis return home

More than a million Iraqis whose lives have been devastated by Daesh safely returned home in 2018, made possible in part thanks to a huge UK aid funded mine clearance mission. The Department for International Development (DFID) has today (Saturday Read More …

Liz McInnes MP gives support to Manchester-based Nobel Prize winners

Liz McInnes, MP for Heywood and Middleton and Shadow Foreign Minister, has visited Mines Advisory Group (MAG) – based in Manchester – to discuss their work and offer her support for their work of land mine clearance and ammunition disposal. Read More …

Drones Used to Find Toylike “Butterfly” Land Mines

A type of land mine called the “butterfly” has a particularly insidious reputation for two reasons: It is known for killing or crippling children who may pick up what looks a lot like a green plastic toy, and its mostly Read More …

Italy donates 585,000 euros to explosive hazard clearance in Iraq

Italy has committed a further 585,000 euros to UNMAS, the UN’s mine clearing agency, to support efforts to clear Iraq of landmines and unexploded remnants of war, allowing displaced families to return. Years of war with ISIS have left the Read More …

The European Union continues to support explosive hazard management and capacity enhancement activities in liberated areas of Iraq

The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) thanks the European Union for its continuous support to explosive hazard management and capacity enhancement activities in liberated areas of Iraq, which contributes to the safe, orderly and dignified return of displaced communities Read More …

Registered areas in Kulbus locality, west Darfur declared free of explosive remnants of war

UNAMID and the Government of Sudan (GoS) on 10 December 2018 officially declared the registered contaminated areas at Kulbus Locality, West Darfur, free of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) and Unexploded Ordnance (UXO). This followed the successful implementation of a Read More …

CMAC meets Thai counterparts over joint demining work

The Cambodian Mine Action Centre and Thai Mine Action Centre met on Wednesday in Thailand’s Sakeo province to select areas to be jointly demined along the border. Heng Ratana, CMAC director-general, said in a statement on Wednesday that the meeting Read More …

EU provides Ukraine with extra EUR 4 mln humanitarian funding

The European Union has allocated an additional EUR 4 million to continue delivering much needed humanitarian assistance in eastern Ukraine at the onset of winter. “The civilian population in eastern Ukraine continues to suffer following four years of conflict. The Read More …